Helena Ivanovna Roerich (1879 – 1953)

The truly great is always seen from a distance. In case of creative heritage of Russian philosopher and writer Helena Roerich, it happened exactly this way. Much of what was created by this outstanding woman in the first half of the XX century entered the cultural and spiritual life of Russia comparatively recently, and aroused deep and sincere interest of many of our compatriots, trying to find answers to urgent questions of being.

Helena Roerich was born on February 12, 1879, in Saint-Petersburg, in the family of architect-academician Ivan Shaposhnikov and his wife Ekaterina, inborn Golenischeva-Kutuzova, grand daughter of the great Field-Marshall. Through her maternal line, Helena was a distant relative of outstanding Russian composer M. Mussorgsky.

From her very early age, the girl showed outstanding abilities, by the age of seven, she could read and write in three languages. Still very young, Helena took serious interest in literature and philosophy. After finishing the Mariinsky Gymnasium and receiving musical education, she had a brilliant pianist career ahead, but life decided differently.

In 1899, in the estate of her aunt Princess Y. Putyatina, Helena Shaposhnikova first met young painter N. Roerich, who became not only her husband, but also her associate with whom she shared the same ideas. Unity of views, spiritual proximity, deep mutual feelings made this union extraordinarily strong. “Together we overcame all kinds of encumbrances, Nicholas Roerich wrote about his marriage already in the afternoon of his life. – And obstacles turned into possibilities. I dedicated my books: “To Helena, my wife, friendess, companion, inspirer"[1, p.460]. “Friendess” – “druguinya” – this ancient Russian word very precisely corresponded to Helena Roerich’s spirit and character. Many N. Roerich’s paintings were the result of their common creative work, “co-creation” in its essence, in which Helena Roerich was the inspiring element. As Nicholas Roerich wrote: “We created together, and not in vain it was said that the creations should bear two names – a woman’s and a man’s”[2, p.460].

Helena Roerich (on the right), George and Svetoslav  Roerichs. Bologoye, 1913

These words “created together” contain great meaning. Many canvases of the artist which expressed the Living Ethics ideas were created following Helena Roerich’s concepts and on the basis of her visions.

In August 1902, their son George was born, in the future – scientist-orientalist with a worldly known name, and in October 1904 – Svetoslav, future artist, thinker, public figure.

H. Roerich was the heart, instructor, and the main foundation of the Roerich family. Nicholas Roerich, George Roerich, and Svetoslav Roerich appreciated the role of Helena Roerich as the light genius of the family extremely high. In his memories, S. Roerich noted: “For us and all who came to close contact with her, this spiritual communication was kind of a live assertion of the highest verities of the ever-being truth. Her life was burning like a live light, establishing with its example existence of a beautiful world, comprehension of which will lead the humanity to new achievements, new discoveries”[3].

N. Roerich called Helena Roerich “She Who Leads” in his creations. At the same time, she was a person of amazing modesty. Having entered the life of a famous artist, she always kept in the shadow. Most of her studies were published under pseudonyms. “<…> let me get down from the pedestal erected by your beautiful, loving heart <…> I like simplicity in everything, and any pomposity and solemnity are organically intolerable for me. I don’t like to teach, but just to pass knowledge”[4, p.246], she would write in one of the letters to her friend.

Having found themselves cut off from their Motherland by revolutionary events of 1917, the Roerichs left for England. There, in London, in 1920, H. Roerich started writing down the first lines of the Living Ethics – a new philosophic system representing a modern integral concept of real Cosmos. The Living Ethics books were created by H. Roerich in close collaboration with a group of anonymous philosophers which are usually called in the spiritual tradition of India Mahatmas, Great Souls, Rishis, Teachers.

In the autumn of 1920, together with her husband and children, H. Roerich left for New York, where Nicholas Roerich had planned exhibitions over the USA cities.

In America, under N. Roerich’s leadership and with H. Roerich’s direct participation, a small group of their associates launched wide cultural and educational activities. Their results were striking: Nicholas Roerich Museum, Master Institute of United Arts, International artistic center “Corona Mundi”. These institutions, organized by Nicholas and Helena Roarichs, turned into major cultural centers, the influence of which spread beyond the country, having become International. Numerous societies, creative clubs, and educational institutions acting in the whole world under the aegis of these organizations, united under the common dome of Culture not only creative people, but also all those who strived for implementation of humanistic ideals and improvement of life. “It fills you with joy to see, Helena Roerich wrote, how, in the days of destruction, light souls come together in the name of Culture, trying to preserve the fire and give the happiness of creative construction and expansion of consciousness to those who are seeking for a way out of the formed intellectual dead end, which is also entailing material disaster”[5, p.386].

N. Roerich. She Who Leads. 1924 (fragment of the painting)